(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a latch locking type connector, and more particularly, to a structure of latch locking connector that is capable of constantly maintaining its expected locking function.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A connector is usually applied to realize telecommunication linkage between two parts in many circuit configurations of electric installations essentially by taking advantage of plug in and out features of the connector to facilitate electric connection between two parts and service or replacement of the parts in future. Therefore, to any connector permitting relative connection, a lead frame and a connector casing that are respectively disposed on both parts it connects must be provided.
Wherein, both of the lead frame and the casing of the connector are usually directly soldered to the circuit boards of parts they are respectively connected to, or further connected by means of transmission cables to circuits of those parts they are respectively connected to, or even directly fixed to flexible printed circuits of the parts they are connected to for taking advantage of flexibility provided by the transmission cable or FPC to realize improved convenience.
Furthermore, the extremely convenient feature of plug in and out of the connector presents at the same time the risk of telecommunication link failure resulted from the undesired separation of the casing of the connector and the lead frame. Accordingly, a locking mechanism to improve combination strength of the connector casing and the lead frame is further disposed to many types of connector. A latch locking type connector such as a short and small type of latch locking type of connector as disclosed in No. M302158 published in Taiwan Gazette is essentially comprised of an elastic cantilever and an actuation plate on a casing of the connector. A linking hook disposed on a free end of the elastic cantilever extends into a locking hole disposed on top of a lead frame so to prevent the casing of the connector to come apart from the lead frame.
When a user is pulling the actuation plate a slope on a root of an abutting end of the connector casing lifts up the actuation plate to push against the free end of the cantilever to raise the linking hook at the free end of the elastic cantilever to exit from the locking hole on the lead frame and, thus, to free both of the connector casing and the lead frame. However, an expansion cam portion disposed at a rear of the actuation plate is forced to wedge in between the elastic cantilever and the connector casing to push and raise the free end of the elastic cantilever in the latch locking type connector. As a result, the expansion cam at the rear of the actuation plate remains to be held between the elastic cantilever and the connector casing after the user has started an actuator to prevent the free end of the elastic cantilever from returning to its normal position, thus failing to produce the latch locking function as expected when the latch locking type connector needs to be connected once again.